Anne Claus

C. ANNE CLAUS, American University, Washington, DC, received a grant in April 2022 to aid research on “Conscious Kitchens: Seafoods, Sustainability, and Substitution in Japan.” Seafoods are indispensable to Japanese cuisine for transnational audiences. This status is enshrined in UNESCO’s 2014 World Heritage distinction that recognizes fish as an integral part of Japanese cuisine. Within Japan, however, traditional culinary culture is in transition. Fishers are catching fewer fish because of overharvesting and changing climates. Further, the taste for fish is declining as fewer cooks are willing or even able to process and cook fish at home. These conditions concern government officials and cultural institutions alike. This ethnographic research investigates the diverse ways that chefs, home cooks, and seafood advocates seek to counteract the intertwined ecological, gastronomic, and cultural transformations that are well underway.